Those curly green things are garlic scapes (aka garlic curls). Super yummy in pesto. I like them in vegan pesto, but beware they make an intense pesto – it’s basically garlic scapes + evoo + cashews or pine nuts + salt + lemon juice. For 2 bunches of garlic scapes like you have, I would use about 1/4 cup of evoo and 1/4 of nuts and 1/2 a lemon to begin with and adjust from there. I think I added extra cashews last time to make the pesto a little less intense-garlic-central. The pesto is awesome with pasta, especially if you add something sweet like sundried tomatoes – also good with hot steaming quinoa, or in wraps with veggie burgers or mixed with hummus. If you want a mellower flavor another option is to roast the garlic scapes – here’s a good approach: http://www.affairsofliving.com/imported-20100106014405/2010/6/7/oven-roasted-garlic-scapes-gluten-free-vegan-acd.html.

I just got garlic scapes in my CSA too! I put them in a homemade hummus with fresh oregano, lemon, and red pepper flakes. Just the right amount of garlic! I also heard they are really delicious in soups….happy cooking!

Now I know what came in my local produce bag! I got the whole plant but I had to chop off the tops to fit it in my fridge. Wish this post had come up last night as I already sent the tops to the composter :( I’m trying the baby garlic in a couscous dish tonight with some roasted sweet potato and experimenting with an almond butter & lemon dressing. This was my first week and it is ridiculously exciting to see what comes. I’m looking forward to a whole summer of inspiration.

AFter you first posted the link for the CSA I went on the website and decided I had to have it too!! We went to pick up our first share last night, looks like we got all of the same things except we didn’t get the garlic scapes, we got cilantro instead :)

ooh yes yes they’re garlic scapes! i got them in my veggie box (csa) last week. i tossed a few into my kale saute to give it some garlic flavor. they are apparently good roasted too! they smell stronger than they taste (in my opinion).

let me know what you do with yours – i still have half a bunch to use :)

For dinner, you could make a fantastic pasta dish with roasted asparagus and tomatoes, and you could make a pesto with roasted garlic scapes, and you could probably process some of your leafy greens into the pesto, or you could serve them separately as a salad for the first course. You could make some wonderful apple tarts for dessert. YUM! I don’t know how I’d include the bok choi…I’d probably reserve that for a stir fry later in the week.

Hi Angela, those are definitely garlic scapes, we used to get them with our veggie co-op. I used to have a recipe for an amazing garlic scape pesto. Unfortunately, I can’t find it now, but if you googled the pesto you’d probably find something. Good luck!

Do you get a CSA bag every month or week? That’d be so cool! I wanted to join in on one but it’s too expensive for my budget. All that stuff looks so fresh, though. Whatever you decide to make, it’s gonna be awesome.

Awesome CSA box! I LOOOOOVE Bok Choy!!!
Yes, those are garlic scapes and I so want to try them, never found those around here. I have read you can treat and eat them like asparagus by sauteing in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. I love garlic, lots of it, so I really want to try garlic scapes, it can only be good!
Let us know what you make and how you like them!
Ana

I was just about to answer your question, but I see that others have already beat me to it! I received garlic scrapes in my own CSA, but I haven’t tried them yet. I’m interested to find out how yours turn out!

Hey Ange!
Just wanted to say that your photos are particularly gorgeous today! Love the color of the veggies with the bright & inviting background color. Is that a placemat? Pink cutting board? I am probably totally off, right?! :) Either way, great photos today! Can’t wait to see what meal you two come up with! :)

I roast a bunch (like you have) or two. Garlic scapes – generally speaking (save a few heirloom varieties that are quite pungent) – are often much more mild than the garlic bulb. (They’re the top part of hardneck varieties that you pick 2 weeks prior to harvest, to send more energy into the bulb.)

From there, I blend the roasted scapes with 2-3 cups of fresh peas that have been blanched for about a minute (or frozen peas that have been thawed). I throw in a small handful of toasted walnuts, a third of a cup of grated parmesan cheese, sea salt and pepper to taste and a small glug (maybe a tablespoon) of fruity olive oil. I’ve made this spread dozens of times and everyone devours it – even the “green-haters” and meat-o-philes! If you’re not into cheese, just leave it out and add a dollop of almond butter. (That sounds weird, but it is just wonderful and the texture is wonderfully creamy!)

I was just watching “Julie and Julia” and saw a scene where Julie Powell is drooling over some basil – which just reminded me! – I always add in about 8-9 basil leaves to the pea spread. And frankly, the more the merrier! :-) Okay, back to the film. (Smile!)

My favorite garlic scape recipe is so easy, though not raw. Finely dice a bunch of garlic scapes and a bunch of radishes. Saute them in olive oil and sea salt till tender. Hash! And so delicious. Until this recipe I never realized how good radishes are when cooked. They get kind of potatoey but not too starchy.

Our optional Produce Share is “co-op style,” meaning that it’s an ongoing commitment once you join and you are responsible for paying for and picking up your share every two weeks. You can choose to receive either a “half” or “full” share. (15lbs for $30 or 30lbs for $50 of produce). *There is a one time bin or tub fee of $12, so we can purchase 2 tubs that your produce will be delivered in. So, if you were signing up for the first time for produce, it’d be $92 for a half share or $112 for a full share then either $30 (half share) or $50 (full share) every two weeks after that.